Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Roger Ebert gave this exceptionally moving and humorous TED talk about finding his voice through technology and the Internet after his cancer surgeries. It's worth 19 minutes of your life to learn what it's like to live with a disability like his. (He also scores points with me for using a Harlan Ellison reference.)

I've seen Tim Minchin only a couple times on TV appearances (like on Jonathan Ross' show on BBC America.) And I've always liked his work but this makes me truly want to delve into it more. We've all met this person, unless you are this person. And we all wish we could respond in this dexterous way.

So, from the brilliant mind of British comedian Tim Minchin, the animated movie "Storm":

Recent events (well, what am I saying, it's been this way for a long time!) have reminded me of Al Franken's 2003 "Lies (And the Lying Liars Who Tell Them)" in which he points out problem with truth that some conservatives and their media counterparts have.

The latest political turn-of-the-factual-cheek comes from Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ) in his statement that claimed that performing abortions is "well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does." In truth, that number is 3 percent. His office later issued a statement that "was not intended to be a factual statement but rather to illustrate that Planned Parenthood, an organization that receives millions in taxpayer dollars, does subsidize abortions."

Of course, the news comedy shows jumped on this like "tigers of truth" (a phrase soon-to-be stolen by Charlie Sheen.)